I’m so excited to get to know you, work with you and capture your wedding. I’ve created this guide so you know what to expect in the coming months, as well as to give you some helpful tips for planning and to make the day of go smoothly. As always, I’m just an email, text, or phone call away. Please be in touch with any questions.
in twenty years, on a Sunday afternoon, curled up with your person in your favorite sunlit corner chair, I want you to remember how it felt.
timeline for working together
IMMEDIATELY AFTER BOOKING
Often times after booking we won’t chat for a bit! This is totally normally but, I’m happy to connect whenever you’re in the planning zone and have questions. I also love helping you connect with the perfect vendors for your event! Check out my vendor guide for more information on local event vendors who I adore.
SIX WEEKS PRIOR to EVENT
Six weeks before your event, I will send you a questionnaire that covers all the info I need for day of. This will include a list of formal portraits, timeline for the day, important contacts, and other small details that help me prepare for your day! You’ll also receive your final balance invoice which is due two weeks before your wedding.
ONE WEEK PRIOR to EVENT
One week before your event, I’ll be in touch with you, or your planner (hopefully both!) to go over any last minute details, get the most up-to-date timeline and touch base before the big day.
WEDDING WEEKEND
All the planning and excitement happens. I’m so excited to be there for all the moments, both big, small, and everything in between. And remember…relax, enjoy, and soak it all up. I’ve got you!
A day or two after, I’ll send you a sneak peek of images to relive some sweet moments and share with family and friends.
SIX to EIGHT WEEKS AFTER WEDDING
You’ll receive your curated gallery of culled and color corrected images via email. From here you can view, share with loved ones, and purchase prints and tangible items. Get those photos off your computer and into your life!
If you’re interested in an heirloom album, please check out my album guide, and be in touch! I love nothing more than a way for you to hold your images in your hands.
Lighting Considerations
Getting Ready
Getting ready photos are sometimes my very favorite images of the day. The anticipatory excitement, the energy, emotions of the day starting to unfurl.
A bright room, free of clutter makes all the difference. If you’re not getting married at a venue with rooms provided, consider renting an AirBnB in the area with interesting decor. Some big windows and great furniture can provide the perfect backdrop for all that pre-ceremony celebrations.
Portraits
Golden hour is the hour right before sunset when the light is soft, warm and romantic. This is my favorite time to shoot. Plan on having a chance to sneak out of the party and enjoy some quiet time together during this time. Based on where your reception in located, this may change due to tree cover, mountains, and valleys. Don’t worry though, I have a handy app that will let us know when the sun dips out of view and I’ll grab you when the timing is right. Taking advantage of this light make for amazing portraits.!
CEREMONY
If you’re able to choose the location of your ceremony, pick a shaded area that provides even lighting. This prevents shadows on faces and squinting eyes.
If your venue has a predetermined spot for the ceremonies, thinking about the time of day and plan on a ceremony later in the day then the shadows are less harsh and everything is soft. Visiting the ceremony location a day or two in advance to see what the light is like is helpful, however, cloud cover and weather can change lighting at a drop of a hat. We’re ready to roll with whatever happens and whatever lighting, but these considerations can help if you’re able to make those choices before hand!
RECEPTIONS
The best way to create a romantic, intimate feeling during your reception is by having copious amounts of tapered candles and bistro lights. The more ambient light I have to work with, the less we need to use artificial light which take away from that coziness. Soft light reflecting onto you and your guests faces is so beautiful and allows me to reserve any flash photography for the dance floor.
Other Small Details
I.
During the ceremony, it is common for there to be reserved signs put on the first 1-2 rows for the immediate family. Normally too many chairs are allocated and there are big gaps in the very front. Assigning a name to each chair you’d like to reserve it for guarantees there are no large gaps in the front rows.
II.
Ask your officiant, readers and, toasters to read off of paper instead of phones or tablets. Same goes for reading your vows. The light reflected can create a tint on faces, and it’s just so much more romantic and less distracting to read from paper or a book.
III.
Consider having an unplugged ceremony. Generally guests are courteous and their phone and camera usage doesn’t affect my job too much, but from a photography perspective, I’m sure you’d rather see, as well as have photos of the faces of your guests rather than the glow of a screen. It can be tough for guests to just want to present when they feel as though the moment isn’t being captured, but a gentle reminder that we’re there and you will be able to share all the images can be reassuring and allow everyone to relax and be present.
IV.
Think about seating arrangements from a photo perspective. If the two of you sit alone at a head table, it’s harder to photograph the intimate interactions that happen amongst your family during dinner and speeches. My favorite moments happen when your best friend leans her head on your shoulder during an especially touching speech, or when you stand near your new father-in-law to watch your spouse dance with their mom. These are the images you’ll cherish years down the road.
V.
Have people throw things at you as you walk back up the aisle! Take a pause on your way back up, half way up the aisle to take a second, sneak in a smooch and enjoy the recessional. It’s an awesome exclamation point at the end of your ceremony. Everyone gets into it and has a ton of fun. Your photos look epic. Get a box of flower petals from your florist or use some paper or bio-degradable confetti (ask your venue what you’re allowed to use). Ask a couple of guests to make sure that everyone in the aisles has a handful of celebratory “fun” to throw at you for when you walk back up the aisle. Trust us. It’s great.
VI.
Because actual prints – like a framed photo or a tangible wedding album – are the best way to enjoy your wedding photos for years to come. Photos aren’t meant to live on your computer, and you will never regret spending money on your memories. We truly believe that albums are the best way to remember your wedding. When your kids + grandkids are old enough, or you’re reminiscing with good friends, you can look through your album and freak out about how hot you looked on your wedding day.
VII.
This has become a little pet peeve of mine, so I’ll share a word to the wise. Make sure your venue steams/irons your table linens. It may seem like the tiniest of details, but when you spend time curating and designing beautiful details, the wrinkly linens and fold lines are SUCH a distraction. A quick steam will do the trick!
Creating Timelines
Here are some of my tips for creating your wedding day timeline. Your planners and coordinators will be the greatest help when it comes to dialing everything in, but here are some things to think about when you start, and some sample timelines to kick things off.
Work backwards from sunset when choosing a ceremony time. If your celebration is in the middle of summer and the sun is setting closer to 8:30pm, a later ceremony is a great choice. The temperatures will be cooler, and the sun will be lower in the sky creating softer light. Often times guests won’t start dancing if the sun is still up, everyone’s waiting for the cover of darkness to bust a move! If having a late fall or winter wedding, planning backwards from sunset ensures that we will have plenty of time without worrying about losing the light. It also may help you decide whether we need to do a first look and a chunk of photos before the ceremony.
Deciding on whether or not to have a first look is often a tricky one. Many times couples feel pressure one way or another. I truly believe every couple’s wedding day should be a true reflection of their relationship. There are no “necessities” on a wedding day. Do your own thing! If you’re trying to decide, here are a few things to consider. If you do a first look, we can build in the time to take family photos before the ceremony, which opens up some more of cocktail hour for spending time with your guests. Even if you do a first look, don’t feel pressure to do family photos right then. If you think it will cause more stress to wrangle everyone before the ceremony, do a first look just for the two of you, and we can save family photos for after the ceremony!
Building in time to take some portraits during “golden hour” is also a great chance to slip away and just be together. Often times after the ceremony you’re quickly wrapped up in the excitement of seeing all your guests and joining the party – I love building in a chance for you to be together and take a second to look back at your party and soak in the whole day. It’s a beautiful time to take photos, and also a chance to take a deep breath and slow down for a minute. The best time to sneak away is often during the meal (but please make sure you eat!) or during transition times in the schedule. The weather, clouds and surroundings can always change the lighting. I’m always keeping an eye on it and will try to snag you when the time is right!
When it comes to planning timing for family photos, the most important factor is the number of combinations you’ll want. When filling our your final questionnaire I’ll ask you to list out all the combinations of formal photos you’re hoping to capture. Create an “A” list – formal photos you MUST have. Immediate family, grandparents, wedding party etc. Your “B” list photos are of equal importance, but these can be taken a bit more informal way – a group of college friends during cocktail hour, all the extended family, cousins on the dance floor etc.
SAMPLE TIMELINES
with first look
- 2:00 p.m. Photographer arrives
- 3:00 p.m. Couples get dressed
- 3:30 p.m. Couples’ “first look”
- 3:45 p.m. Wedding party + family photos with the couple
- 4:15 p.m. Touchups, snacks, water!
- 4:45 p.m. Guests begin to arrive / pre-ceremony music starts
- 5:00 p.m. Ceremony start time
- 5:30 p.m. Ceremony ends / cocktail hour begins
- 6:30 p.m. Cocktail hour ends / guests are invited into the reception
- 6:45 p.m. Introduction + first dance + welcome toast from couple
- 7:00 p.m. Dinner served/Golden Hour Photos
- 7:45 p.m. Toasts
- 8:00 p.m. Parent dances
- 8:15 p.m. All guests invited onto the dance floor
- 8:30 p.m. Cake cutting / dessert is served
- 10:55 p.m. Last song
- 11:00 p.m. Guests depart
without first look
- 3:00 p.m. Photographer arrives
- 4:00 p.m. Couples get dressed
- 4:45 p.m. Guests begin to arrive / pre-ceremony music starts
- 5:00 p.m. Ceremony start time
- 5:30 p.m. Ceremony ends / cocktail hour begins
- 5:35 p.m. Wedding party + family photos with the couple
- 6:30 p.m. Cocktail hour ends / guests are invited into the reception
- 6:45 p.m. Introduction + first dance + welcome toast from couple
- 7:00 p.m. Dinner served/Golden Hour Photos
- 7:45 p.m. Toasts
- 8:00 p.m. Parent dances
- 8:15 p.m. All guests invited onto the dance floor
- 8:30 p.m. Cake cutting / dessert is served
- 10:55 p.m. Last song
- 11:00 p.m. Guests depart